AMSTERDAM INTRODUCTION, Introduction

Hi, my name’s Rick, and I’m your personal guide. Along with MyWoWo, I’d like to welcome you to one of the Wonders of the World: Amsterdam.

Although the seat of the Dutch parliament and government is in The Hague, Amsterdam is the capital of the Netherlands, and it has always been the largest, most important city of the little country looking onto the North Sea.

From a fishing village in the 13th century, Amsterdam grew into one of the richest, most powerful cities on the planet during the Dutch Golden Age in the 17th century. The port was one of the largest in the world, and the city ruled over a huge trading and colonial empire that stretched across three continents: Asia, Africa and America.

Amsterdam is today one of the capitals of modern economics and finance and the fourth largest port in Europe, but the charm of its past remains unaltered, especially thanks to the city’s famous canals - almost a hundred kilometers of waterways that have earned it the nickname of “Venice of the North”. It also boasts numerous historical buildings, such as the Royal Palace, as well as centuries-old homes, noble buildings and numerous churches. ...